Manitoba Bison women’s golf coach Bri-ann Tokariwski and men’s coach Garth Goodbrandson (CHRISD.CA)
WINNIPEG — After a seven-year absence, the University of Manitoba will have a women’s golf team again.
Starting up next fall, the Bisons will have five women on the team after shuttering the program in 2010 due to a lack of female golfers in the province. It was originally formed in 2001.
“We are confident that there will be lots of interested young girls who would like to play golf on the Bison women’s golf team for quite some time,” said men’s head coach Garth Goodbrandson.
The women’s team will be coached by former Bison golf team member Bri-ann Tokariwski, with Goodbrandson assisting with the women’s fundraising efforts.
“In 2012, Golf Manitoba started a program for the Manitoba Games that saw 18 girls who were 15 years old and younger receive training from PGA of Manitoba Professionals throughout the province. In 2016, that program continued and there were 20 young girls participating. The interest and the quality of junior girls golf has improved tremendously in those years.”
The five women’s recruits include:
- Former Junior Champion, Veronica Vetesnik
- 2016 Provincial Junior Team member, Marissa Naylor
- Former Western Canada Games team member, Lexie Kopp
- Member of gold medal-winning Team Westman at ’16 Manitoba Games, Tianna Slate
- Former St Mary’s team member, Kaitlynn Santiano
